JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 3, 2011) -The ETSU baseball team begins the 2011 season Friday, Feb. 18 as the Marist Red Foxes come to town. Every day, leading up to the first pitch, different members of the 2011 squad will check in with Buccaneer fans. Today sophomore Kerry Doane is stopping by to check in with the fans.

Getting back on campus was definitely great for me. Once I had moved back into the apartments and saw the guys I felt back at home and was ready to get things going with the season only a month away. Being back in the dome and working together as a team was something that I was looking forward to the whole break. When it came to getting back to work I realized that I have a lot to do to get where I want to be.

This team is one of the closest I have been with since I started playing baseball. Every Thursday night we go to Barberitos as a team. You don't see many teams in the country with this kind of unity, and its encouraging since we all have the same goals and achievements. One of the great things about this team is that we have great communication, and if I ever had a problem or need to work on something pretty much I can go to anyone on the team.

Last Friday we were able to hold our first full-squad practice and the weather was nice enough for us to get outside at Cardinal Park. Once we were outside I really started to get the feeling that the season was right around the corner. It's nice to have a facility like the dome where we can get work done no matter how bad the weather is outside, but nothing beats being outside and practicing on a nice day. This year we have had a new challenge put on us with the changes to the bats. At first I thought it was going to have a big effect on my hitting, but as I saw the other guys on the team doing well at the plate with the new bats it gave me confidence.

With the season only a couple weeks away, everyone is excited just to get out on the field and work towards our goals. We came up just short last season, but this year we plan on making sure things are different. As soon as Feb. 18 rolls around, that's when people will get a chance to see how things have changed.

Go Bucs!

#2 Kerry Doane

For more information on Buccaneer baseball or any other athletic news, please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.